Downer recognised with two wins at Hunter Manufacturing Awards
Downer has secured two awards at the 2026 Hunter Manufacturing Awards, recognising the strength of its partnership with Sydney Trains and the skilled people supporting the future of rail and manufacturing in the Hunter.
The Tangara Fleet Life Extension (TFLE) Program, delivered in partnership with Sydney Trains, received the Collaboration Partnership Award, recognising the collaboration, technical expertise and manufacturing capability behind the program. The program brings together operational, engineering, manufacturing and maintenance teams to extend the life of the Tangara fleet while supporting fleet reliability and customer outcomes.
The TFLE Program is being delivered from Downer’s Cardiff facility and will modernises key systems across Sydney’s Tangara fleet, helping extend the life of the trains while supporting local jobs, apprenticeships and rail capability in the Hunter.
The evening also delivered an individual win for Jayden Edmonds, a Mechanical Tradesperson within Downer’s Rail and Transit Systems team at Cardiff, who received the Apprentice of the Year Award.
Jayden Edmonds’ achievement reflects the strength of the emerging talent within Downer and the importance of developing the next generation of skilled tradespeople to support Australia’s rail and manufacturing industries.
Tony Stace, Manufacturing Workshop Superintendent at Hexham, was also recognised as a finalist in the Manufacturing Leader category, celebrating his leadership and contribution to manufacturing capability in the Hunter.
Building capability for the future
Downer’s Cardiff facility has supported rail manufacturing, maintenance and overhaul in New South Wales for decades and today provides critical maintenance, heavy overhaul, repair and modification capability for Sydney’s passenger rail.
Investment in apprenticeships and technical capability is an important part of that work. Downer continues to create pathways for young people to build practical skills and careers in the Hunter, while experienced tradespeople, technicians and engineers support the reliability and performance of the rail network. Downer’s broader Hunter operations also have established apprenticeship and local skills-development programmes.
